Report

 

From 8 to 11 October 2010, a delegation of Canadian parliamentarians travelled to Palermo, Italy to attend the 9^th Fall Meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).  The delegation comprised two parliamentarians:  Mr. Daniel Petit, M.P., who also was Acting Head of Delegation, and the Honourable Hedy Fry, M.P.  The delegation was accompanied by Natalie Mychajlyszyn, Advisor.

 

OVERVIEW OF THE OSCE

 

Established in 1975 as the “Conference on Security and Co‑operation in Europe” (CSCE), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was given its current name at the Budapest Summit in December 1994.  The OSCE participating countries, currently 56 in number, are “all the European states, the United States and Canada.”^([1])  Eleven other states from the Mediterranean area and Asia joined as observers and are known as “Partners for Cooperation.”  The organization is defined as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and crisis management.  It is also recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, which requires that participating United Nations Member States “make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.”^([2])  However, the OSCE is not an international organization in the strict sense of international law, in that its resolutions are not legally binding on the signatory countries.

 

The OSCE’s 2010 budget is €150.8 million, a decrease from the 2009 budget which was €158.7 million. Approximately 65% of the OSCE’s budget is dedicated to 20 field missions and other field activities in 18 states. The OSCE employs approximately 3,450 individuals, the vast majority of whom are assigned to field missions. One-quarter of the OSCE employees are seconded by the participating countries.

 

A.   An Inclusive, Global and Cooperative Approach to Security

 

The OSCE’s unique character derives from its composition, which enables the United States and Canada to participate as full members in an organization that addresses European issues.  The OSCE favours inclusive dialogue over selective admission.  This enables it to keep communication channels open on key security issues between Western democracies and countries with less exemplary democratic records.  It also promotes exchanges between the European Union and Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) that are not members of the Council of Europe.  Whereas the foremost goal of the Council of Europe is to promote and defend democratic development and human rights, and to hold member governments accountable for their performance in these areas, the OSCE aims to foster the development of an expansive, conflict-free geographic area – from Vancouver to Vladivostok – regardless of the democratic characteristics of the participating states.

 

The OSCE’s resolutions and activities stem from a comprehensive understanding of security that extends beyond the political-military model.  In the Charter for European Security, adopted at the November 1999 Istanbul Summit, the heads of state and of government of the participating countries agreed to “address the human, economic, political and military dimensions of security as an integral whole.”^([3])  All forms of peaceful cooperation between the participating countries are considered as having the potential to reduce the risks of conflict in the region.  The OSCE’s cooperative approach is confirmed by the fact that all 56 states have equal status.  Decisions are made by consensus rather than majority vote.^([4])

 

B.   Operational Capacity

 

After the end of the Cold War, the OSCE developed its institutions and operational capacities in response to particular and often urgent needs, and not as a long-term strategic plan.  The 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe laid the foundations for the OSCE’s institutional framework.

 

Field activities account for almost 75% of the OSCE budget.  The fact that it has no missions in Western Europe or North America is a point frequently raised by the Commonwealth of Independent States to argue that, although it claims to be cooperative and egalitarian, the OSCE applies a double standard in its relations with the participating countries.  The OSCE’s reply is that its operations stem from commitments made in a consensual manner and at the invitation of the countries themselves. 

 

The OSCE is led by a rotating “chairman-in-office” selected to serve a one-year term from among the foreign ministers of the participating countries.  As the organization’s senior diplomat, the chairman-in-office is supported by the Secretariat and its secretary general who are based in Vienna.

 

On 1 January 2010, Kazakhstan succeeded Greece as the chair of the organization.  Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, is serving as Chairman-in-Office.  Lithuania will succeed Kazakhstan as chair of the organization on 1 January 2011. 

 

France’s Marc Perrin de Brichambaut has served as OSCE Secretary General since June 2005.

 

C.   The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE.  It was created by the OSCE (at that time the CSCE) in 1991 following the call set out by the participating States in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe. Its primary purpose is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue on issues facing the participating States, issue recommendations for their own governments, parliaments and citizens concerning the OSCE’s three spheres of action.  Among its objectives are:

·To assess the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States:

·To discuss subjects addressed during meetings of the OSCE;

·To develop and promote mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts;

·To support the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States; and,

·To contribute to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations between existing OSCE Institutions.

 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is organised according to three General Committees representing the three “baskets” of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the areas of focus of the OSCE:  the First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, and the Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.  Its work is also carried out by way of ad hoc committees, working groups, and special representatives and envoys. The Parliamentary Assembly also plays a key role in observing elections in the OSCE region and regularly sends parliamentary delegations on field missions.

 

It is managed by a Bureau and a Standing Committee.  The Bureau comprises a President, nine Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur for each of the three General Committees, and the President Emeritus.  The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Standing Committee are carried out and takes decisions by majority vote.  The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises the members of the Bureau and the 56 heads of delegation of the participating states.  The Standing Committee guides the work of the Assembly, approves its budget and appoints the Secretary General.  It uses the “consensus minus one” rule when voting on decisions, except in the case of the appointment of the Secretary General, which is done by a majority vote. 

 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is administratively supported by the Secretary-General and the Secretariat who are located in Copenhagen.  These were established and became operational in January 1993 soon after the creation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

 

Today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises more than 300 parliamentarians who are appointed by their respective parliaments.  Observers of the Assembly include parliamentarians from the OSCE’s Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and Asian Partners for Cooperation (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan and Mongolia), and representatives from other parliamentary assemblies and security organizations, such as NATO.

 

Since its first Annual Meeting in Budapest in July 1992, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the Partners for Co-operation have convened several times a year to carry out the mandate of the Assembly.  The Assembly itself meets in plenary at the Annual Session held in July and hosted by the parliament of a participating State.  The Annual Session is the most important event in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calendar where the Assembly debates a number of OSCE matters and resolutions, receives reports, adopts the Session’s declaration, and elects its officers.  At the Fall Meetings in September, also hosted by the parliament of a participating State, the Assembly in plenary holds a conference on a topical issue. 

 

The General Committees meet at the Annual Session to debate and adopt resolutions, and elect Committee officers; they also convene jointly and separately at the Winter Meeting in February in Vienna, where the OSCE’s headquarters are located, to discuss and debate issues of importance, receive briefings by senior OSCE officials, and hear presentations by the Rapporteurs on their draft resolutions for the Annual Session.

 

The Bureau meets at the Annual Session as well as in April and December.  The Standing Committee meets at the Annual Session, the Fall Meetings, and at the Winter Meeting. 

 

The OSCE PA also convenes to discuss more specific topics either on the margins of these regular annual meetings or at other times. For instance, the Parliamentary Forum on the Mediterranean is held during the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA, and the Economic Conference is hosted by the parliament of a participating State every second spring.

 

The Assembly’s budget is approved at the Annual Session; the 2010-11 budget, approved at the 2010 Annual Session, is €2.86 million, the same amount as in the previous year.  In 2010–11 Canada’s budgeted contribution is C$211,934.

 

The Assembly’s budget covers most of the organizational expenses related to the Annual Session, Winter Meeting, Fall Meetings, Standing Committee and Bureau Meetings, official visits, the election observation programme, as well as the costs of the International Secretariat.  Host parliaments of the Annual Sessions contribute significantly by providing considerable support.  The Secretariat’s office facilities are provided free of charge by the Danish Folketing. 

 

Petros Efthymiou (Greece) has been president of the PA since July 2010, succeeding João Soares (Portugal).  Spencer Oliver (United States) has served as secretary general since January 1993. 

 

2010 FALL MEETINGS OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY^[5]

 

For four days from 8 to 11 October 2010, almost 200 parliamentarians from 50 of the 56 OSCE participating States, together with representatives of the “Partners for Cooperation” states, including Algeria, Jordan, Egypt and Israel, met in Palermo, Italy for three complementary events: an inter-parliamentary conference on “The Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption,” the Mediterranean Forum of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Standing Committee Meeting.

 

A.   Welcome Addresses

·Gianfranco Fini, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, emphasised that the OSCE’s three dimensions offered a comprehensive approach to the fight against international organised crime and corruption as well as hope that these challenges could be overcome.  He highlighted the significance of the Fall Meetings on transnational organised crime and corruption being held in Sicily, a region whose efforts to subdue the mafia have been a tremendous source of pride for its government and society.  This pride was compounded when the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime was signed in Palermo in 2000.  Mr. Fini noted that the convention, however, was not yet fully ratified and implemented by all countries.  Parliamentarians had an important role to play in this regard, as well as in ensuring transparency, enforcement and regulation as important elements in the fight against corruption and organised crime. He noted that other elements such as the protection of social rights and freedom of the media also need to be strengthened.

 

·Francesco Cascio, President of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, listed the various challenges facing countries in the Mediterranean region, including environmental degradation, illegal migration, weak economic development, and social tensions.  He noted that greater cooperation, in particular regarding social and economic development, was necessary in order to achieve peace and stability in the region.  In this respect, he highlighted the importance of promoting institutional linkages to address the region’s challenges, notably regarding migration flows.  The 2000 Palermo Convention was symbolic of the achievements resulting from international cooperation. 

 

·Petros Efthymiou, President of the OSCE PA, remarked that Mediterranean issues were simultaneously OSCE issues and noted the presence at the Fall Meetings of several OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation (Algeria, Morocco, Israel).  He emphasised the importance of building on the historical and tourist value of the region to transform it into a region of peace and stability. 

 

·Alfredo Mantica, Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for Italy, noted his government’s support for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE and its upcoming summit as well as for the OSCE in general.  He called on the three OSCE states who have not yet signed the 2000 Palermo Convention to do so.  He also expressed his hope that the upcoming 5^th Conference of the Parties to be held in Vienna later in October would result in agreement on a review mechanism for the Palermo Convention. 

 

·Caterina Chinnici, member of the Sicilian Regional Government and daughter of Rocco Chinnici, an Italian judge who was assassinated by the Sicilian mafia in 1983, addressed the delegates on behalf of the President of the Sicilian region.  She noted Sicily’s experience with the theme of the OSCE PA Fall Meetings and emphasised the role played by the rule of law in fostering the development of peaceful societies.  She also highlighted the importance of all elements of government and society – public authorities, judiciary, peace enforcement, the media – working together to overcome transnational organised crime. 

 

·Riccardo Migliori, Head of the Italian Delegation to the OSCE PA and Vice-President of the OSCE PA, linked the historical role played by Sicily in bridging various societies and cultures in the Mediterranean region to the current challenges facing the region and the need for existing bridges to be strengthened in order to overcome them.  He noted in particular that the 2000 Palermo Convention and other international efforts needed to remain relevant, and the responsibility of parliamentarians in this regard, in order to overcome the challenges of transnational organised crime which has become even more organised and sophisticated.  Italy’s and Sicily’s achievements regarding the mafia resulted from the necessary commitment and dedication to the daily permeations of criminal elements.   He called on the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly in particular to continue their undertakings to overcome these challenges.

 

B.   Inter-Parliamentary Conference, “The Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption” 

 

1. Opening Plenary Session

The Parliamentary Assembly was informed of the deaths of four Italian soldiers in Afghanistan and held a minute of silence in remembrance of them and all who have died in the Afghanistan campaign.

 

The Inter-Parliamentary Conference was opened by addresses from the following speakers:

 

·Riccardo Migliori, head of the Italian delegation to the OSCE PA and Vice-President of the OSCE PA, addressed the assembly on behalf of Renato Schifani, President of the Italian Senate.  He noted the importance of the 2000 Palermo Convention as a tool for combating transnational organised crime and congratulated the Parliamentary Assembly for organising the conference on an assessment of its achievements and to debate next steps in overcoming the challenge. 

 

·Petros Efthymiou, President of the Assembly, announced to the Assembly that Greece, one of several OSCE states which had not approved the Palermo Convention, recently ratified it.  He noted the continuing challenge to the OSCE region and to the international community by transnational organised crime, and the role played by the OSCE PA in raising awareness through its meetings and resolutions.  In this respect, he noted the role that parliamentarians have to play in strengthening transparency, particularly where parliamentary immunity may hinder prosecution of criminal acts.

 

·Kanat Saudabayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Kazakhstan and Chairperson-in-Office (CIO) of the OSCE, thanked that the Parliamentary Assembly for its support of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship and emphasised that the Assembly had an important role to play in addressing issues facing the region.  These include the stability of Afghanistan, a country at the doorstep of Central Asia and the OSCE area, drug trafficking, corruption and transnational organised crime.  He noted that the upcoming OSCE Summit in Astana would consider many of these issues, with participating states hopefully agreeing to a OSCE framework for addressing these issues in the future.

 

·Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of the OSCE, highlighted several challenges the OSCE region is facing, including transnational organised crime, terrorism, trafficking and cyber crime.  He noted the importance of all OSCE institutions, special representatives and field missions collaborating to address these challenges.

 

2.  Session 1: “Ten Years After the Adoption of the Palermo Convention”

 

·Sandra Valle, Senior Inter-Regional Adviser and Officer-in-Charge of the Justice Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, gave an overview of the sectors in which organised criminal groups are active, such as human and drug trafficking, but also cybercrime and piracy.  She summarised the impact that the 2000 Palermo Convention has had and areas of improvement, including the prosecution of a country’s own citizens.

 

·Carlo Vizzini, the OSCE PA Special Representative for the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime and member of the Italian Senate, spoke about the relationship between drug trafficking, insecurity, and transnational organized crime, offering the situation of Afghanistan as an example.  He emphasised the need to consider a range of instruments to combat transnational organised crime, including in particular those featuring advances in technology and the seizure of assets and profits.  He highlighted several positive examples from Italy’s experience and some of its recently passed legislation.  In this respect, he underlined the role of parliament in sustaining political will and putting in place the appropriate legislative measures to combat these criminal activities.  He drew attention to growing concerns about money laundering, which has intensified due to the growth of the internet.  He called on greater consideration of sanctions to be applied against countries whose tax haven status facilitate money laundering;  these actions would be in addition to establishing regulations to strengthen the transparency of commercial activities.  In general, he called on governments and parliaments to establish new legislation and guidelines to address these challenges related to transnational organised crime.

 

·Piero Grasso, Chief Prosecutor of Italy’s National Anti-Mafia Bureau, emphasised that transnational cooperation was the only method by which transnational organised crime could be addressed, particularly as these criminal groups have exploited globalisation and established networks of accomplices across many countries.  He noted that such groups, including those that have arisen from the collapse of communism, affect and are affected by geopolitical developments.  The aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001 has demonstrated what such networks can achieve when highly motivated by profit as well as by religious fundamentalism.  In this respect, the growing ties between organised crime and terrorist groups are become increasingly apparent.

 

·Mario Morcone, Director of the Italian Agency on the Seizure of Assets from Organized Crime, spoke about Italy’s anti-mafia initiatives, including the politically and popularly supported seizure of assets.  When a guilty verdict is rendered, the assets are then allocated to the state and local authorities, or rented or sold to benefit social programs.  The Agency also works with many countries on money laundering.  He noted the importance of further harmonisation of legislation to ensure more effective international cooperation in this area.

 

·Roberto Maroni, Italy’s Minister of the Interior, noted that criminal groups are increasingly operating in areas such as cybercrime and in the smuggling and theft of medicines.  These groups are able to act because of the inconsistent application and enforcement of law.  In commemorating ten years of the 2000 Palermo Convention, he noted many key areas for its implementation, such as the need for a global response given the globalised nature of organised crime;  the establishment of agreements and frameworks to allow police enforcement to enter other jurisdictions to follow the criminal groups who take advantage of the permeability of borders;  and the need to target the profits of criminal activities in order to undermine them. 

 

Canadian Participation:

 

In his remarks, Daniel Petit noted the importance of international cooperation to address transnational organised crime, and the role played by implementing conventions such as the 2000 Palermo Convention in this regard. In particular, such conventions establish the legal basis for mutual assistance and capacity-building in law enforcement and anti-money laundering, among other remedies.  Such conventions, however, need to be as wide-ranging and comprehensive as possible to match the wide scope of criminal activities.  He also raised awareness about Canada’s recent experiences with illegal migration to emphasise that the issue is not limited to the European region and requires greater international collaboration and attention.

 

3.  Session 2: “The Fight Against Corruption”

 

·Angelino Alfano, Italy’s Minister of Justice, highlighted the relationship between corruption and the violation of human rights, and the need for stronger international judicial cooperation, as well as cooperation among international institutions, in order to address the challenge.  He emphasised the value of such counter-corruption initiatives as the rotation of civil servants who hold particularly sensitive positions.  He also summarised elements of Italy’s anti-corruption strategy, including the promotion of transparency in public administration.

 

·Richard Boucher, Deputy Secretary General of the OECD, summarised the organisation’s efforts against corruption, including its Anti-Bribery Convention, the first and only agreement on bribery in international business transactions.  Since coming into force in 1999, it has resulted in 225 companies and individuals being sanctioned and 280 investigations under way.  The OECD also promotes a number of tools to assist governments in their anti-corruption efforts, including transparent procurement systems and strengthened prosecutions. 

 

·Antonella Mularoni, San Marino’s Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs, Communication and Transport, summarised the efforts of her country in combating corruption.  She noted the negative impact of corruption on a country’s democratic system of values and rule of law.  She highlighted the need to improve harmonisation of international efforts, noting in particular the importance of governments and parliaments working together. 

 

·Miklos Marschall, Regional Director of Europe and Central Asia for Transparency International, noted that corruption is an acute global issue and offered statistics to emphasise its economic, social and democratic implications.  He emphasised the role that trust between governments and their citizens plays as a measure of the vulnerability of certain societies to corruption, and reviewed the rankings of some OSCE states in Transparency International’s corruption index.  He noted that parliamentarians in particular were not immune from corruption. 

 

Canadian Participation:

 

Daniel Petit noted that international instruments against corruption needed to reflect the common values and principles of the OSCE.  Moreover, they need to be multidisciplinary and comprehensive, international as well as national.  He raised the review mechanism of the Convention Against Corruption as a model for other related conventions, including the 2000 Palermo Convention, particularly as it emphasises the principles of transparency, fairness and inclusivity.

 

Hedy Fry remarked that the unethical side of corruption needs to be addressed even as the action in question is legal.  In this respect, civil servants who call attention to such behaviour need to be protected.  In addition, she highlighted the importance of regulation, particularly in the banking sector, in order to guard against bad business practices which occur even in well-established democracies.  She raised the Enron and Arthur Anderson episodes as examples in this regard.

 

4.  Session 3: “Human Trafficking”

 

·Palaitis Raimundas, Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior, referred to the 2009 United Nations trafficking report to emphasise the need for international coordination and global efforts in order to overcome this challenge.  He spoke about Lithuania’s experience and position in the context of the 2000 Palermo Convention which includes a protocol on human trafficking.  He urged the OSCE states who have not already done so to ratify the convention and its protocols.  He also emphasised the importance of having in place the necessary political will among states of origin and destination to prevent and fight against human trafficking.  With Lithuania the incoming OSCE chairman-in-office, he reviewed the OSCE’s comprehensive efforts against human trafficking and Lithuania’s priorities in this regard.

 

·Jonathan Eyers, Assistant Director for Trafficking Human Beings at Interpol, summarised the scope of the problem as it is faced by border police and that requires cooperation among the various jurisdictions.  In particular, of the estimated 27 million people caught in human trafficking situations, only 5-10% of these cases become known to police, with less than 1% of the victims being rescued.  The challenge for the international community is to implement the Palermo Convention and its protocol on human trafficking, particularly in the context of expanded networks of criminal groups.  He emphasised that international cooperation was necessary in order to monitor and trace transit routes used by traffickers in source, transit and destination countries.  He also highlighted the importance of focusing on money, the Achilles heel of such groups, and improving the transparency of financial transactions in order to address the challenge. 

 

·Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, referred to the phenomenon as modern day slavery.  She pointed to the socio-economic vulnerabilities of the victims who are taken advantage of by criminal groups and abused by them, creating multiple dependencies under degrading conditions.  The criminal groups who perpetrate crimes related to human trafficking may be more loosely connected than mafia groups, but might be more dangerous since each node is easily replaceable should it be exposed.  As a result, she emphasised the importance of better investigative techniques and effective and diligent prosecution in order to break the network chains.  Moreover, she highlighted the need for better support for victims, noting in particular that children are especially at risk at being trafficked.  She called on parliamentarians to take action in their own parliaments to foster political will to develop anti-trafficking programs and to implement commitments to international conventions against human trafficking.

 

·Chris Smith, the OSCE PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues and member of the U.S. delegation to the OSCE PA, reviewed legislation in the United States on protection against human trafficking.  He also reviewed recent initiatives and the records of some OSCE countries, notably the progress made by Bosnia, the appointment of a human trafficking high-level official in Malta, and the improvement in awareness of the problem in Montenegro.  Among the many suggestions he raised for best practices, he noted that a program which allows flight attendants to identify victims of human trafficking on planes and helps law enforcement to rescue victims should be adopted by all jurisdictions and airlines.

 

·Matteo Mecacci, Rapporteur of the Third Committee on Demomcracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions of the OSCE PA and member of the Italian delegation, began by highlighting the importance of the Palermo protocol on human trafficking in its specific focus on human beings.  In looking for remedies for this challenge, he underlined the need to look at the social and economic causes of trafficking and the circumstances under which people find themselves in situations where they are vulnerable to being trafficked.  He indicated that increase in development aid was more than ever necessary in light of the impact development can have in reducing the socio-economic vulnerabilities of those who are trafficked.

 

·Marija Andjelkovic, President of ASTRA, a Serbian Antitrafficking NGO, gave the Assembly an overview of the accomplishments in the fight against human trafficking since the adoption of the Palermo protocol.  With respect to achievements in southeastern Europe, she highlighted the introduction of National Action Plans, the provision of shelters and the establishment of hotlines across the region.  Notwithstanding such progress, she noted that the region continues to experience particular challenges which reinforce disconcerting trends in human trafficking, such as an increase in the domestic trafficking of human beings and their transfer to private clubs and apartments, making the victims less visible and more difficult to identify.

 

 

Canadian participation:

 

Daniel Petit highlighted that, notwithstanding the regional manifestations of human trafficking, its global characteristics require a sustainable international response and legally-binding international obligations.   He also brought attention to the need for distinguishing between illegal migration and human trafficking in order to develop more effective public policy to address the challenges of concern.  He noted that success in this area demands stronger commitments to public awareness and prevention; cohesive and integrated approaches to international standards; constant monitoring of progress; successful prosecution of perpetrators; and guarantees of safety and protection for victims.

 

B.  Mediterranean Forum

 

1.  Session 1: “Cooperation in Economic and Infrastructure Sectors in the  Mediterranean Basin”

 

·Altero Matteoli, the Italian Minister for Infrastructure and Transportation, summarised the infrastructure and transportation experience in the context of the European Union and its multiple levels of jurisdiction, and emphasised the need to harmonise the regulations that govern these sectors.  He highlighted Italy’s contribution to advancing infrastructure and transportation in order to facilitate ties among countries in the Mediterranean region.  He noted the importance of continuing to development transportation infrastructure in order to advance economic development and prosperous trade relations in the region. 

· 

·Pierluiggi Soddu, Executive Director of the Programme for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters of the Civil Protection Department of the Italian Government, highlighted the particular natural disasters to which the Mediterranean region is vulnerable.  These include earthquakes, volcanoes and floods.  He also discussed environmental disasters arising from the transportation of hazardous materials and resources such as oil as additional challenges to be addressed. He reviewed Italy’s experience in risk and crisis management and reinforced the importance of coordinating policies and early alert systems among the countries of the Mediterranean region in order to mitigate these risks. 

 

·Jerry Grafstein, former Canadian Senator and former Vice-President of the OSCE PA, emphasised the role that expanded free trade plays in promoting political and social stability and the potential to be gained from freer trade among countries of the Mediterranean region.  He shared economic figures regarding levels of GDP per capita, levels of investment and unemployment in north Africa and the Arab world to highlight the resulting vulnerabilities of these populations to political and social instability.  He called on invigorated efforts to reduce protectionism in the region and for economic policies to be undertaken that promote higher and more equitable standards of living. 

 

·Abderezak Bouhara, Vice-President of the Algerian National Council and Head of the Algerian Delegation to the OSCE PA, noted the challenges the region, particularly the Mediterranean south, faces in achieving and strengthening economic cooperation and prosperity.  He noted in particular the need for increasing exports in such sectors as manufacturing, agriculture and services.  He emphasised that the challenges are not insurmountable, but rest in large part on reducing protectionism against products from the region.

 

2.  Session 2: “Cultural and Environmental Cooperation as an Expression of the Mediterranean Civilization”

 

·Renatas Norkus, Lithuanian Ambassador to the OSCE and Chairman of the OSCE Contact Group with the Mediterranean Partners, reviewed the priorities of the contact group, notably strengthening confidence-building measures, enhancing border security, promoting tolerance and non-discrimination as well as water management and human resource development.  As the incoming Chairman-in-Office for 2011, Lithuania’s priorities regarding these themes including the establishment of a system of coordinators responsible for specific topics and giving the Partners of Cooperation more ownership of the process.  Enlargement of the Partners to include the Palestinian Authority will remain on the agenda, but their lack of partnership has not precluded them from being invited as guests at relevant meetings and events.  He emphasised the need for the Parliamentary Assembly to continue engaging parliamentarians from the Partner countries. 

 

·Stefania Giannini, Representative of the Conference of Italian University Rectors, spoke to the Assembly about the value of cultural and educational exchanges by which to transcend political boundaries, particularly given the diversity of civilisations and linguistic communities in the region.  She reported on a project in which she was involved and that sought to build a common educational model that promotes employment opportunities, thereby reversing the brain drain and alleviating poverty in the southern Mediterranean region.  An example of these initiatives is the partnership between an Egyptian and Italian university in engineering, the human sciences, and economics.  The intention is to move eastward with these initiatives towards the Caucasus. 

 

·Marco Villani, Chief Executive of Formez, explained that his training agency is located within the Presidency of the Italian Council of Ministries and is accountable to the Minister of Public Administration and Innovation.  Among its activities, the agency promotes administrative cooperation between Italy and countries of the Mediterranean region and Eastern Europe.  It also supports government reforms that benefit the citizens of the region.

 

Canadian participation:

 

Hedy Fry emphasised in her remarks the importance of finding and building common ground as central to peace building social cohesion. She also highlighted the important role education plays, particularly in preparing a new generation to think about identities differently from the old way which focuses on ideology-based identity.  In conclusion, she noted the virtuous cycle of education, social and economic development and peace.

 

 

C.  Closing Session

 

·Andrea Marcucci, on behalf of the Italian delegation, summarised the discussions from the inter-parliamentary conference and Mediterranean forum, noting in particular the opportunities raised for further action and the need for collaboration and cooperation in several areas.  He emphasised the role of parliamentarians in moving forward on the issues raised, notably in terms of passing legislation and generating political will among governments to address a challenge that can undermine electoral processes and democracies. 

 

·Riccardo Migliori, as head of the Italian delegation, expressed his gratitude to the participants and the delegations whose high level of participation resulted in a high quality of debate.

 

·The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Petros Efthymiou, confirmed that the discussions about transnational organised crime reaffirmed the commitment of the Assembly to addressing the challenges that arise from its activities and in its various manifestations.  He emphasised the need to move beyond national approaches and to foster a genuinely transnational approach.

 

D.  Standing Committee

 

·The President of the OSCE PA, Petros Efthymiou, reported on his activities since being elected in July 2010.  These included a visit to the OSCE PA Secretariat in Copenhagen, a visit to Poland during which he addressed the OSCE Review Conference which was taking place in Warsaw, and the activities related to the work of the OSCE PA’s Transparency Committee, including a meeting with the OSCE’s Permanent Council in Vienna.  He reported that the Transparency Committee had just finalised a document that was intended to make a contribution to the Corfu Process and the Astana Summit in December 2010.  He encouraged members of the Parliamentary Assembly to promote the document and its contents among their national leaderships and parliaments.

 

The President also noted that the OSCE PA is actively encouraging that the process for appointing the next OSCE Secretary General and Director of ODIHR in 2011 be carried out according to the principles of transparency, due process and in consultation with the OSCE PA.  He noted that there was wide agreement among the Assembly members that the successful candidates should also have high visibility and recognition in order to raise the profile of the OSCE.

 

The President announced that Hedy Fry from Canada was appointed Special Representative on Gender Issues.

 

·Roberto Battelli (Slovenia), delivered the Treasurer’s Report.  He thanked those delegations who have already submitted their contributions for the October 2010- September 2011fiscal year.  He noted that the Assembly had functioned within the approved budget during the previous fiscal year and acknowledged the audits that are regularly performed to ensure the Assembly’s transparency in its budget, as well as other related checks and balances.  He also encouraged that those national parliaments who have not yet hosted a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly to consider doing so. 

 

·The Secretary-General of the OSCE PA, Spencer Oliver, reported on recent activities of the Assembly, including the successful and highly productive 19^th Annual Session which took place in Oslo in July and recent election observation activities in Bosnia and Kyrgyzstan.  Upcoming activities of the Assembly include the observation of the U.S., Moldova and Azerbaijan elections in November, the upcoming bureau meeting and participation at the Astana Summit in December, the winter meeting in February 2011and the spring bureau meeting in April 2011.  He reported on the successful internship program at the OSCE PA, which most recently included as participants interns from Ukraine, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.  He also congratulated the OSCE PA’s Vienna Liaison Office and Ambassador Nothelle for their work and in preparing the weekly reports to members of the standing committee.  The Secretary General also reported that the Secretariat of the OSCE PA would be moving to new premises in Copenhagen in January 2011, courtesy of the continued generosity of the Danish parliament.  Dates and hosts for upcoming Annual Sessions and Fall Meetings were announced. 

 

·The Secretary-General of the OSCE, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, briefed the Assembly on developments concerning the proposed OSCE budget for 2011 which included a 2% increase.  The challenge will continue to be maintaining a high level of performance and activity with a budget that appropriately reflects the fiscal situation of many OSCE states. The OSCE states may need to take stock of the organisation’s priorities and allocation of funds. 

 

·Chair of the Subcommittee on the Rules of Procedure, Pia Christmas Moeller (Denmark), also Vice-President of the PA, reported that proposed changes will be presented to the Standing Committee at the 2011 Winter Meeting.

 

·The Standing Committee of the OSCE PA held a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial commemorating Victims of Mafia. 

 

 

Canadian Participation:

 

Daniel Petit attended the Standing Committee meeting and a wreath laying ceremony as Acting Head of the Delegation.

 

The Fall Meetings and its theme of Mediterranean issues and the challenges of overcoming transnational organised crime resonate with Canadians.  The Canadian delegation distinguished itself with high quality and active participation, ensuring that the views of Canadians on these important issues were heard and that Canada has a role to play in inter-parliamentary debate.

 

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

The Honourable Consiglio Di Nino, Senator

Director

Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA)